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Interview 96: Tony Hendra

Legendary iconoclast Tony Hendra joins Real Politik to discuss the history of postwar comedy and his role therein. Hendra is best-known for playing Ian Faith, manager of the mock heavy metal band Spinal Tap. He was also a pioneer in early British political satire, working with Monty Python founding members Graham Chapman and John Cleese, and was the first managing editor of the National Lampoon, America’s pioneer multimedia comedy powerhouse, where he worked alongside Lampoon founders Doug Kenney, Henry Beard and Rob Hoffman. While at Lampoon Hendra produced the Woodstock mockery Lemmings, discovering such figures as John Belushi, Chevy Chase, and Christopher Guest.

Hendra began studying to become a Benedictine monk in Cold War era England. As a student at Cambridge he had an epiphany and turned to pursue a career in satire. In addition to being National Lampoon‘s editor he edited Spy magazine, and is the author of several books and satirical works, including Going Too Far: The Rise and Demise of Sick, Gross, Black Sophomoric, Weirdo, Pinko Anarchist Underground Anti-Establishment Humor (1986), Father Joe: The Man Who Saved My Soul (2004), and The Messiah of Morris Avenue: A Novel (2007). Hendra was also a primary force behind his longtime friend George Carlin’s posthumous memoir, Last Words (2009).